Campin' Out

Our annual soaking up in Sharon, Vermont happened this weekend. Luckily the rain was brief- I was making soup when the clouds opened, but the rain was done before the soup (I continued stirring and adding ingredients with one hand while the other held the umbrella).

The rest of the weekend was idyllic.  Some highlights:

• Swimming in the pond. I took Ivy in the canoe on a frog hunt, and thanks to Jenifer's frog net, bagged a green beauty to bring back to shore.  We played with the hopper for a few minutes, and released it back into the wild. New this year was the realization that the dock could detach and float to the middle. Many king of the hill wars ensued.
• The White River. Our usual swimming hole was under construction, so we found a nearby shore to launch our mighty [c]raft and run the wild class [0.]5 rapids.  
• Calvin and his collections. Calvin set up a rock shop the first day after he had mined many interesting specimens from the local amphitheater.  He also enjoyed the "crab leg" he found at the river, and really wanted to bring it home.
• The play. Bryn orchestrated a play down at the amphitheater. Movie will be forth-coming. 
• Volleyball. Peter may not be able to use his arms for a few days.
• Frisbee. I may not be able to throw my kids around for a few days.
• Waterfall hike with Lance. Entire separate post forth-coming. 
• Chess. Bryn and Calvin both learned how to play chess from Brian and spent hours playing games with various people.
• The stars. Saturday night was extra clear, and Ivy and I spent time pretending reach up, grab some stars, and eat them. I upped the ante by eating the whole sky, but then Ivy trumped me by eating outer space. Around thirty minutes later she spit them all out and giggled.
• Relaxing on many a grassy knoll, chatting with great people, blowing grass whistles, playing cards, and listening to the delighted yells of feral children getting good and dirty.

Up a creek...

Without a paddle. But who needs a paddle?!?

Calvin's rock museum collection

Complimentary spa

Bryn wants me to let everyone know that even though she is wearing a life jacket, she knows how to swim and is only wearing the jacket because I made her wear it in the river currents.

Treasured crab leg (I think it's really part of a crayfish)

Sunset

Calvin takes on his primary teacher

Summer Magic

We listened to the book, The Invention of Hugo Cabret, as we shuttled to and fro various summer activities.  It was a big hit, so we rented the movie for Take-Out-the-Bed-in-the-Couch-Friday.  Also a big hit.

Magic tricks play a part in the story, and Bryn set up an early morning magic show this morning. Well worth the nickel. Ivy was clearly amazed.

We've been swimming like crazy the last two weeks. Ivy has talents in fish whispering- she sits very quietly in the shallows of the reservoir until a quorum of fish gathers around her legs, swimming above and under her legs and tickling her as they go.

Calvin and Bryn have been in lessons, and are swimming drastically better than when they started. The lessons help, but I think practicing after for hours after the lessons is what really caused the improvement.

Another First: Red Sox Game

Peter traded in his Cubby blues for an evening with Bryn, Calvin and Tim at Fenway Park for the kids' first game (that they can remember).  Bryn read a book between (and sometimes during) innings, Calvin played with a friend in the next seat, and Tim refused to sing Sweet Caroline and do the wave on a matter of principle (he's from he-ah, and apparently those activities are recent injections into Red Sox culture, and not for baseball purists). And in case you're wondering, Calvin is batting with his ticket in the above picture.

Luck o' the First Lost Tooth

Calvin's tooth was quite loose, so I mentioned that maybe he should give it a firm tug. He did, and voila, his tooth came out- easy as that. He then proceeded to chant for about an hour, "Happy as a leprechaun!"

Please Do Not Climb on the Sculptures

We visited the DeCordova Sculpture Park and Museum to wander and picnic on the grounds. Totally loved it.

The Fact of the Matter

Bryn: Mom, do you ever get that weird buzzy beepy thing in your ear and then it goes away?

Me: Yes.

Bryn: Do you know what it is?

Me: Not exactly.

Bryn: Let's ask the computer when we get home.

Me: Okay.

Calvin: Yah, but the computer might not be right.

Bryn: True, but at least we'll think we know.

Coming Home

Our wild west adventure came to a close, but we had more adventures in store.

Calvin had a quick play date with a pug at the Little America. It may have been the highlight of his vacation.

Peter and I had a quick play date with Karen and Zack- we bossed around the go-cart course, putted our way to glory, and shot the heck out of a pack of children in laser tag.

Once back in the Bay State, I was finally able to meet my new niece, Piggles (sister of Squiggles). She told me I was her favorite ever since even before she came streaming down to earth.

Our dear friends came for a visit. We played and played: wii parties, blueberry picking, Maine beach-going and lobster dining, watching the BYU dance alliance, playgrounds, splashparks, midnight political and economic discussions, running in the woods (TICKS!), skirt-making and the Children's Museum were among the activities. They also let me shoot them at the Robbins Farm Park. That is one photogenic family.

And then I played with Laura the Iggles some more. I like that baby-iggle. And that toddler-iggle. and that sister-iggle. We played around with newborn photography, and I realized it's so so hard to make a baby go to sleep in an uncomfortable pose.

The Grand Tetons and Yellowstone Adventure

Highlights:

• Jackson Lakeside swimming
• Jackson Lake boating- one of my greatest joys in life is taking watercraft to the middle of large lakes, stopping them, and then taking a swim. It scares me to death to fathom the fathoms below, and that's why I like it.
• Old Faithful, of course. 
• Other Geyser basins. Miraculously, no one in our party was boiled alive.
• Revisiting Grant Village and the sandbar, skipping rocks, and attending church at the outdoor amphitheater.
• Hiking like crazy mountain goats. At one point Calvin complained, "Why do we have to hike or walk ever day!" Hikes included: the Heron Pond, String Lake, and the brink of Lower Falls.
• Mammoth Hot Springs. We lost Bryn and  Calvin here for a while. I ran every boardwalk there was searching for them until Peter finally found them at the top. Bryn was so sad that we were worried.
• Games galore- my kids, along with my three brothers' kids, never ran out of games to play back at camp: Ghosts in the Graveyard, singing Mason the Thomas theme song, Colored Eggs, No Bears are Out Tonight, and Hostage Adoption Family (it's complicated). 
• The thunderstorm that made our tent into a waterbed. Amazingly, it stayed dry inside even though is sat on a 3-inch deep puddle. Thanks again to the noble efforts of those who helped (or cheered) the great tent-relocation.
• The people! I loved being there with my parents and three of my brothers and their families. I missed the other brother and my three sisters (Tasha!!!) and their families. 

And if you still want to see/hear more about our grand vacation, Jill's post is here, Dad's posts are here and here and here and here (and more, just look at the picture section), and Lance's posts are here and here (he wins the wildlife competition, hands down. And probably every other contest, but we don't want him to get cocky).

Hot Dog, I Love a Good Cookout

Despite extreme fire conditions, we found the safest picnic area up Logan Canyon and had a cookout with my parents, Peter's parents, and Lance, Dani, and Mason.

Slip and Slide

My Dad's side's family reunion was held at "redneck waterslides" this year. There were two slip-and-slides (one huge and steep, one little and still steep) and a rope swing. Fun ensued:

There are two songs worth of fun in this video. Also, there are a few clips that are garbaly-gooked, so ignore those; the rest of it works fine.